LEWISTON, Idaho — Lewis-Clark State sluggers Max Whitt and Seth Brown and pitcher Ty Jackson were all selected in the Major League Baseball draft on Wednesday.
Whitt went in the 17th round to the Miami Marlins, making him the highest-drafted Warrior since 2011. Brown was selected in the 19th round by the Oakland Athletics while Jackson lasted until the 32nd round, when he was chosen by the Tampa Bay Rays.
LCSC has not had this many players drafted in a single year since 2010, when seven Warriors were selected. This also bumps the school's all-time number of draftees to 127.
Whitt, a junior from Everett, Wash., was pick No. 506 overall. The 6-foot, 200-pound infielder joined LCSC in 2015 after spending two seasons at Everett Community College. In his lone campaign in a Warrior uniform, he hit 17 home runs, which tied for fifth nationally and was among the top 20 single-season totals in LCSC history.
The second baseman, who was drafted as a shortstop, also batted .298 and drove in 72 runs, the sixth most in the NAIA this season. He was an All-NAIA West selection as well as an honorable mention All-American.
Brown, the 578th selection in the draft, clubbed 23 home runs this season while playing first base and right field for the Warriors. In addition to leading the country, his home run-tally was the fifth highest ever recorded by a Warrior in a single season.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Medford, Ore., native also batted .386 and drove in 82 runs, which led the team and ranked second nationally. He also ranked first in the NAIA in total bases (183), third in runs scored (78), fifth in slugging percentage (.785) and ninth in hits (90). Those efforts earned Brown second team All-American honors.
Jackson, a redshirt junior from Kennewick, Wash., was the 958th pick in the draft. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound right-hander pitcher went 8-1 this season and posted a team-leading 1.76 ERA in 13 appearances, which included 12 starts. He tossed three complete games, recorded 68 strikeouts and held opposing hitters to a .208 average in 76.2 innings.
Jackson joined the Warriors in 2014 after spending two years at Washington State University. In his two seasons in a Warrior uniform, Jackson made 20 appearances, with 18 starts, and tallied a 12-2 record with a 2.03 ERA.
When he wasn't pitching, Jackson also spent time as the Warriors' designated hitter. This year, he batted .322 with nine home runs and 54 RBIs. His dual role earned him All-NAIA West recognition.
Major League clubs drafted 40 NAIA players this year, but no NAIA school had more players selected than LCSC. This season, Whitt, Brown and Jackson led the Warriors to a 46-12 record and their 17th national championship.